Amusement device



w: 9, W3; J. E. BAHLEY l AMUSEMENT DEVICE Filed sept. 24, 1935 ATTORNEY.

Patented Aug. y9, 1938 UISIITEDA STATES PATENT OFFICE 15 Claims.

This invention relates generally to amusement devices for games such astenpins in which a plurality of pins are provided for removal from aplaying surface by the impact of a ball or other object directed againstthem by the player, and specifically refers to novelA means forrestoring the pinsV to the playing surface at the conclusion of thegame.

1n tenpins or other games, including bowling, to which the presentinvention also appertains, objects moved by a propelled ball haveheretofore required manual replacement, which increases the cost ofplaying and involves a loss of `time detrimental to the interest of thegame.

Marble games conducted in public on small playing boards are `invariablyinclosed under glass to prevent tampering `and insure accurate andcontinued operation. Such requirements of construction have heretoforemilitated against the adaptation'of games of the character hereindesignated due to lack of practical means to mechanically remove thepins when struck and to maintain control thereof for subsequentreplacement at the will of the player.

It is a particular object of the present invention to avoid suchperplexities of the prior art by the provision of a game of 4skillhaving for its object the removal o'f individual pins from the playingsurface by the impact of a ball or shot directed against them andembodying means to enable the player to subsequently restore the pins totheir original position on the surface with a minimum of effort.

Another object is to provide a plurality of removable supports for novelforms of tenpins or the like protruding through a playing surface, saidsupports adapted to be tripped by movement of the pins so as to permitthe top of individuallymoved pins to be dropped even with the surface,4,0` the degree of movement required to tripthe supports to be easilyregulated, thus permitting variation in the amount of skill requiredbythe player to accomplish the removal of any' or special pins.

Another object is to provide a support for a pin which may be removed bythe impact of an object against any point on the periphery thereof thus.permitting thepin to be dropped either b-y a direct hit or by `impactcaused, for

570` instance, by the rebound `of the object from an- `other pin. i

Still another object is to provide a device in which pins of any design,or arranged in any configuration may be employed, and which embodiessimplicity of construction, facility of operation, durability, andeconomy of manufacture.

In the drawing- Fig. 1 is a perspective view, partially cut away, of aplaying board illustrating relative positions of a series of pinsprojecting therethrough;

Fig. 2 is a detailed sectional view, partly in elevation of the means ofmy invention, illustrating a pair of pins in relatively supported anddropped positions; Y

Fig. 3 is a sectional View on lines 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a view taken `on line ll-t of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged View of the tripping mechanism for releasablysupporting the pin;

Fig. 6 is a sectional view of the `parts hereof illustrated in Fig. 2 asrelatively moved to restore a dropped pin to the surface of the board.

Referring to the drawing in detail, the numerals of which indicatesimilar parts throughout the several views, II] designates a portion ofa playing board of a tenpin marble game having supporting Walls Ii.Tenholes I2 in board I0 are spaced in any suitable relation, preferablyin the form of an equilateral triangle with one of its bases parallelwith the back of the board. In each hole I2 a tenpin I3 issupported bymeans aboutto be described, extending above the board so as to have theappearance of setting on the surface thereof. The pins I3 mayincorporate any specific design but are preferably provided with a flattop I4 at their upper ends to substantially ll holes I2 when in theirlower position, and a flange I5 at the lower end of each pin, slightlysmaller than the diameter of top lli to permit the pin to tilt in anydirection upon being struck.

The lower end of each pin is conically bored and has a hole in thecenter thereof provided with a lining I6, said lining being thicker atits inner end so as to reduce the diameter of the bore Il of the hole`'I'heiiange I5 of each pin is bound in a metal ring I8 which conforms tothe shape of the hole I2 to reinforce the pin against abrasion andfracture while raising and dropping, as well as to weight the lower endto facilitate maintenance of the pin in an upright position.

Spacedbelow, and parallel with, board Ill a distance slightly less thanthelength of pin I3, a plate I9 is provided, beingbolted on a series ofsupporting bars 20, secured by any suitable means to a bottom board 2l,later referred to.

Plate IS provides support for the pin when the same is dropped throughhole I2, so that the top It of a dropped pin is ush with the playingsurface Il). Secured to the underside of the CII board I around eachhole, by screws, rivets, or the like, in a manner well known in the art,is a circular guide 22 which extends downwardly to plate I9 to preventdisplacement of pins I3 when the same are dropped, as will appear.

Vertical support and movement of each pin is accomplished by a rod 23adapted to extend from below plate I9, through a hole therein, into thebore of lining I6 in each of the pins. Rod 23 is annularly beveled at 24to facilitate its introduction into the bore of the pins, andparticularly into the reduced inner bore of lining I I, whichfrictionally engages rod 23 to releasably maintain the rod and pin inaxial alignment.

A plurality of rods 25 secured to bottom casing board 2 I by nut 26,directly below the vertical axis of pin I3, provide support for thelower end of rods 23 when the pins assume their position above thesurface of the playing board II'I.v The lower end of a helical wirespring 2'I encircling each rod 23 extends through a hole, spaced betweenthe ends 0f the rod so as to compress the spring against plate I9 whenrod 23 is supported on rods 25, and respective pins are in positionabove the board I0. f

Plate I9, through which rod 23 passes, acts as a fulcrum to enable aslight impact of the ball or shot, usually employed in such games,against pin I3 to dislodge the lower end of rod 23 from the small areaof its supporting contact on rod 25 and permit pin I3 and rod 23 todrop. The expansibility of spring 21 will, by jerking the roddownwardly, free the upper end of said rod from the narrow portion ofthe bore in pin I3 and into the enlarged bore in the lower part thereof,which allows the rod to tilt slightly with respect to the vertical,permitting its opposite end to slide by rod 25. Rod 23 is prevented fromdropping through the hole in plate I9 by a d 28 extending through therod above plate I9. It will thus be seen that any one Atenpin may bedropped from the surface of the board by the player without disturbingthe position of the others, and that the pins must be individuallystruck to be dropped.

All pins successfully dropped may be restored to their original positionabove the board by means comprising a plate 29 provided with a series ofholes corresponding to the position of rods 25 and bars 20 to permit theplate 29 to be slidably raised and lowered thereon. The extent of theupward movement of plate 29 on each bar 20 is limited'by a peg 30inserted in a hole in each of said bars. Other holes 39a in verticalalinement with peg 30, as illustrated, are provided in said bars, intowhich pegs 30 may be optionally inserted to permit adjustment in therange of movement of said plate. A round flange 3I is provided betweenplate 29 and bottom board 2I which limits the lower reach of said plate.

A collar indicated at 32 having an upwardly inclined integral funnel 33at its upper end is provided to slidably encase each rod 25 above plate29. The raising of plate 29 by means about to be described thus slideseach funnel and collar upwardly onV its respective rod 25 until thesloping walls of the funnels contact the end of each rod 23 of all pinswhich have been dropped below board II).4 Continued upward movement ofplate 29 will cause each dropped rod to be raised from its support onplate I9 by its funnel. kAs the weight of the rod is transferred to thefunnel, augmented by the increasing urge of the compressing spring 27,the end of the rod will tend to slide toward the bore of collar 32. Whenthe plate 29 nears the limit of itsV upward movement, as defined by peg30, collar 32 will pass slightly above the upper reach of rod 25 and rod23 will slide into the bore of collar 32 to position on the lower rod.Fid 28 opera-tes to steady the pin with respect to rod 23 as it israised to its upper position. The collar and funnel may then be loweredby lowering plate 29, and the pins will have been restored to theiroriginal position.

The vertical movement of the plate 29 above described is accomplished bya series of arms 34,

' one end of which is pivoted to .studs 35 located on bottom board 2|. Aroller 36 provided in the opposite end of each arm 34 is adapted tocontact plate 29 when the arm is raised to uniformly convey its upwardmovement to the plate. 31 designates a bowed member located adjacent theside wall I I, and 38 an extension thereof, having their outer endscommunicated with the free ends of arms 34 to simultaneously raise thearms by pulling a handle (not shown) at the opposite end of member 31,as will be apparent to those of skill in this art.

It will be seen that I have provided a device in which the force of theimpact on the pins above the playing board necessary to drop the pins totheir lower position may be decreased by narrowing the arc of contactbetween the rods 23 and 25, or increased by providing an indentation inthe lower supporting rods and pointing the end of the upper rods, asdepicted in Fig. 5.

While I have illustrated and described but one embodiment of myinvention, it will be obvious that various changes may be made, such,for instance, as in the means for raising the plate 29, the design,proportion and arrangement of the parts, without departing from theessence of my invention; and in specific designs hazards may be formedin the board as the play proceeds by placing plate I9 lower relative toboard I0 to permit eachpin to drop clear of hole I2; or additional scoremay be credited the player by projecting the marbles or shot into theholes thus formed.

What I claim and desire to cover by Letters Patent is:

l. In a device of the character described, a perforated playing board, arod mounted below said board concentric with said perforation, and asecond rod supported by said iirst rod and adapted to be moved laterallytherefrom.

2. In a device of the character described, a perforated playing surface,a stationary vertical rod therebelow, a second rod supported on the endof said Vertical rod adapted to project, when so supported, throughsaidperforation above said playing surface, and a fulcrum intermediatethe ends of said second rod to permit an impact against its upper end todisplace its lower end relative to said stationary rod.

3. In a device of the character described, a perforated playing board, asupport directly belo-w said perforation, a rod adapted to rest on saidsupport to extend when so supported through the perforation of saidplaying board, and a fulcrum for said rod intermediate its ends.

4. In a device of the character described, a perforated playing surface,a stationary vertical rod therebelow, a seco-nd rod supported on the endof said vertical rod adapted to project, when so supported, through saidperforation above said playing surface, a fulcrum intermediate the endsof said second rod to permit an impact against its upper end to displaceits lower end relative to said stationary rod, and a funnel slidablyencasing said stationary rod to raise and center saidsecond rod on saidstationary rod.

5. In a device of the character described, a perforated playing surface,a plurality of pins each having a rod extending from one end,perpendicularly disposed relative to the board, in said perforation, asupport for the lower end of said rod, a fulcrum for said rod betweensaid pin and said support to permit an impact against said pin to removesaid rod from said support, and resilient means adapted to facilitatelowering of said rod when removed from said support.

6. In a device of the character described, a pin having a bore in itslower end, a rod adapted to be inserted in the bore of said pin tomaintain said rod, when so inserted, in axial alignment with said pin,and a support for the opposite end of said rod in axial alignment withsaid pin, adapted to permit relative lateral displacement of the rod bytilting the pin.

7. In a device of the character described, a rod,

a pin having a bore in its lower end adapted to maintain said rod, wheninserted therein, in axial alignment with said pin, a support for theopposite end of said rod in axial alignment with said pin, means towithdraw said rod from the bore of said pin to enable said rod to betilted with respect to the axis of said pin, a fulcrum for said rod topermit an impact against said pin to displace the opposite end of saidrod with respect to said support and means to return said rod toposition on said support.

8. In a device of the character described, a perforated playing surface,a pin, means to support said pin on the plane of said playing surfaceabove the perforation therein, a stationary support in verticalalignment with said pin to support said means so as to permit the pin todrop through said perforation when tilted, and a flange at the top ofthe pin to substantially close the perforation in said playing surfacewhen the pin is in its lower position.

9. In a device of the character described, a.

perforated playing surface, a pin, means to support said pin on theplane of said playing surface above the perforation therein, astationary support in vertical alignment with said pin to support saidmeans so as to permit the pin to drop through said perforation whentilted, a plate to support said pin with its upper end flush with thelevel of the playing surface when the same is dropped, and a flange atthe top of the pin to substantially close the perforation in saidplaying surface when the pin is in its lower position.

' 10. In 'a device of the character described, a pin, a hole in thelower end of said pin, the inner portion of said hole having a smallerdiameter than the outer portion of said hole, a rod having a diametersubstantially equal tothe inner portion of said hole to maintain saidrod and pin in axial alignment, means to withdraw said rod from theinner portion of said hole, and means to prevent withdrawal 0f said rodfrom the outer portion of said hole.

11. In a device of the character described, a pin having a hole therein,a rod extending into said hole whereby the pin and rod are normallymaintained in axial alignment so that tilting of the pin will tilt therod, a support for said rod and pin in vertical alignment therewith, anda fulcrum intermediate the ends of said rod so that an impact againstthe pin will tilt the rod and remove the lower end thereof from saidsupport.

12. In a device of the character described, la pair of pins, a rodextending into a hole in each of said pins, a support for the oppositeend of each of said rods, said rods and pin being adapted to be removedfrom said support by tilting of said pins and rods to permit said pinsto drop to a lower position, a funnel below each of the lower ends ofsaid rods, in vertical alignment with respective pins, and. means toraise all of said funnels to raise and center said rods on respectivesupports.

13. In a device of the character described, a pin, means to support saidpin, a stationary support in vertical alignment with said pin for thesupport of said means, and a fulcrum intermediate the ends of said meansso that an impact against the upper end of said means will dislodge thelower end with respect to said stationary support.

14. In a device of the character described, a perforated playingsurface, a pin, means to normally support said pin on the plane of saidplaying surface above the perforation therein, a support for said pinbelow said playing surface, a stationary support for said means `invertical alignment with said pin so that an impact against the upper endof said means will displace the lower end thereof and permit the pin todrop, a funnel to engage the lower projection of said means, and meansto raise said funnel so as to return said first-mentioned means and thepin to its original position on said stationary support.

15. In a device of the character described, a pin, a support below saidpin, connecting means normally disposed between said pin and saidsupport but adapted for removal from said support by lateral pressureagainst said pin, and means comprising a funnel-shaped cup slidablyconnected with said support to urge said connecting means to its normalposition between said pin and said support.

JOHN E. BAILEY.

